Santa Minx
by luci465
Summary: This is another little peek into Minx Christmas future and stays within the "Things Change" universe. This was meant to be posted before Christmas, but I obviously didn't make that deadline. As for this story, it's basically a big ball of fluff surrounding the Tasker-Montgomery family.


**Disclaimer: Let's get this out of the way and cover all the bases here. I don't own these characters. I'm simply borrowing them and taking them for a spin. They belong to All My Children, and as to who owns that, well that anybody's guess at this point. I'm just borrowing them for purposes of this story. Now that that's out of the way, on to the (hopefully) good stuff.**

 **/**

 **A/N: I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! This idea popped into my head right before a work trip, and I had to write it. It's another little peek into Minx Christmas future and stays within the "Things Change" universe. This was meant to be posted before Christmas, but I obviously didn't make that deadline. Several things came up which prevented that. If you want an explanation for the delay, you'll find it in the author's notes at the end. As for this story, it's basically a big ball of fluff surrounding the Tasker-Montgomery family. I hope you enjoy!**

 **/**

It was the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and Minx Manor was bustling with activity. Christmas decorating had begun in earnest after breakfast. The Christmas tree was up and almost done. It just needed one more thing to make it complete, the star.

"Are you ready to put the star on top of the tree, Sparky?" AJ grinned as he looked down at his little brother.

Danny nodded excitedly at his big brother and gave him a thumbs up. "Yup! Ready!"

Miranda chuckled and handed Danny the star the family had been placing on top of their Christmas tree for several years. The kids rotated who did the honors each Christmas. This year, it was decided that it was time for Danny to do it, and he was excited, almost as excited as the rest of the family.

Marissa was recording a video of the event while Bianca was taking pictures. Gabby was standing in between the couple grinning at her brother and offering encouragement.

"You got this, Sparky. Do it just like we practiced."

AJ bent down, picked his brother up, and held him so Danny could place the star on the top of the tree.

"How'd I do?" Danny asked.

"You did it great, Sparky!" Miranda praised her little brother who beamed in response.

"Way to go!" Gabby held up her hand for Danny to give her a high-five.

Bianca then scooped up her youngest and kissed him. "Great job, Danny!"

"I couldn't agree more! Excellent work, Sparky! I think we all deserve a break." Marissa said after kissing the smaller redhead.

"Could we have some hot chocolate, Mama? Please?"

"I think that can be arranged. I'll go get it started."

"I'll help you, Ma." Gabby volunteered and followed Marissa to the kitchen.

/

The Tasker-Montgomery family went Christmas shopping the following week. AJ and Miranda were old enough to go shop on their own but promised to meet up with the rest of the family for lunch. Gabby and Danny stayed with their Moms and checked out the various shops in the heart of downtown Pine Valley. For Bianca and Marissa, this was merely a scouting expedition. They wouldn't buy any presents for the kids today because they didn't want to give the older kids any clues as to what they would get for Christmas, and for Danny, they didn't want him to see what Santa would be getting him.

At four years old, Danny believed in Santa with all of his heart, and AJ, Miranda, and Gabby helped their Moms maintain that belief. In fact, it was one of their favorite things to do. They discovered that helping Danny continue to believe increased their own enjoyment of the holiday. Danny was not quite one for his first Christmas, so he really didn't understand what was going on. He started to get the concept the following year. It was the year after that when things started to fall into place for him. Now that he was four, Danny was practically vibrating with excitement the closer Christmas got, and his brother and sisters had plans to make it the best yet for him. That plan would start later that day because today Danny was going to see Santa Claus.

"Mama?"

Marissa glanced down to look at Danny. The boy was walking between his Moms holding both of their hands. "Yes, Sparky."

Bianca shook her head with an affectionate smile on her face. No matter how hard she tried, the nickname that Kendall had bestowed upon Danny while Marissa was pregnant had stuck. Family and friends called him Sparky. The only exception besides Bianca to date was Erica.

"Are we gonna eat soon?"

"Are you getting hungry?"

Danny nodded. "Uh huh."

"What about you, Gabby? Are you getting hungry?"

"Yeah, I am. You know what sounds good, Sparky?"

"What?"

"Chili cheese fries!"

Danny grinned, his eyes wide. "Yeah! Oh, and a chocolate shake!"

"Sounds even better! What do you think, Mom?" Gabby smiled knowingly at her brunette mother. Both items were among Bianca's guilty pleasures, and the girl knew it.

"Please, Mommy?" Danny gave his best puppy dog eyes.

Bianca sighed. She knew it was next to impossible to say 'no' to him when he did that. Danny was a lot like Marissa in that respect. In this case, it wasn't just her son's pleading eyes. Bianca was hungry, and those were her guilty pleasures, a fact that Gabby knew all too well judging by the smirk on her face. "I'm getting hungry myself. Let's get lunch. Gabby, text AJ and Miranda, and let them know we'll be at Krystal's."

Gabby nodded and pulled out her cellphone. "I know the mention of food will get AJ there."

Marissa laughed. "You have that right. What do you think about going ice skating later today?"

"I think that's a great idea, Rissa. What do you guys think?"

"Good idea, Ma."

Danny nodded. Miranda had been teaching him to ice skate, and he really liked it. "Yeah! It'll be fun!"

Bianca winked at Marissa. This had been part of their plan, and it would take place after they saw Santa. It was something they kept to themselves because they knew Danny wouldn't be able to focus on anything else.

/

"Well, that definitely hit the spot. What's next?" AJ asked as he finished the last bit of his bacon cheeseburger. AJ knew the plan for the day just like his sisters did. They had been clued in earlier by their Moms. The question was just for his brother's benefit.

"Hey, did you guys see that Santa is going to be in the square in about half an hour?" Miranda asked.

Danny's eyes grew wide. "He is?! Can we go see him? Mama? Mommy? Please?!"

"What do you think, Rissa?"

"Well, he has been awfully good." Marissa said thoughtfully.

"Yes, he has."

"Okay. Let's go see him."

Danny pumped his arm. "Yay! Let's go now!"

"Hold on. Let's go clean up a little bit. If we're going to see the big guy, you know your Mom and I are going to want to take pictures."

Danny sighed. It was going to be hard, but he supposed he could wait just a little longer to see Santa. When he thought about it, this would actually give him time to narrow down what he wanted the most so he could tell Santa. "Okay." He took Marissa's hand, and the two headed to the restroom.

/

"That's where Santa's gonna be!" Danny pointed excitedly at the ornate wooden chair.

Miranda smiled at her little brother. "It sure is."

"When will he get here, Mimo?"

"According to the sign, he'll be here in 10 minutes. Do you know what you're going to ask him for?"

"Uh huh! I can't tell you before I tell him though. I might not get it if I do."

Miranda chuckled. The odds of that happening were pretty much non-existent, but she supposed she could see the four year old's logic. "Okay. I can wait until you tell him."

Their conversation was interrupted by one taking place behind them in line.

"But, how can Santa be here when we saw a sign that he was going to be at the mall, Ben?"

"Um … um …"

Gabby turned and recognized the boy behind them. They went to school together and were in a couple of the same classes. "Hi, Benny."

The boy's panicked look was immediately replaced by a dreamy smile. "Hi, Gabby."

The older members of the Tasker-Montgomery family shared knowing looks. Ben had a crush on Gabby in kindergarten, and it was evident he still did while she still viewed him as a friend.

"You're Gabby? Ben's talked about you. I'm Emily, his sister." A small blonde girl about Danny's age smiled brightly.

"Hi, Emily. Yeah, I'm Gabby, and this is my family. Are you excited to see Santa?"

Emily nodded. "Yup, but I have a question about Santa. Maybe you can answer it because Ben doesn't seem to know."

"Well, maybe you should ask your Mom and Dad." Gabby had overheard her question to Ben a few minutes prior and didn't want to give an answer that might leave Emily, as well as her little brother, upset.

"They're getting us some hot chocolate, and I don't want to wait. How can Santa be here when I saw a sign that he was going to be at the mall?"

"I know." Danny piped up. "I'm Danny, Gabby's brother. Hi."

"Hi. You know the answer?"

Danny nodded. "Yup. My Moms told when I asked them. Santa has helpers. They're all over the place. He's really busy this time of year you know, so he gets people to dress up like him and come to places like this."

"So, we never really talk to the real Santa? I don't know that I like that."

"I thought the same thing, but my Moms told me that sometimes he does come here. You never really know if you're talking to him or one of his helpers. So, you still have to be good when you talk to him because it could just be the real Santa. And even if it isn't, the helpers report back to him. They have meetings every week and tell him about the boys and girls all around the world."

Emily seemed to consider his answer. It made sense. "I get it now. Thanks, Danny! I wish someone would've answered that for me a long time ago."

Danny beamed. "You're welcome, Emily! My Moms are really smart."

Bianca and Marissa smiled overhearing as their youngest praised them while AJ and Miranda rolled their eyes. The teens wouldn't admit it out loud to anyone if asked at that moment, but they had to agree with their brother. For his part, Ben mouthed a grateful and relieved 'thank you' to Gabby who simply shrugged.

"They always know the answers to my questions, and I have lots of questions." Danny continued. The other five Tasker-Montgomery's shared matching smirks. Truer words were never spoken.

"Me too!" Emily exclaimed.

"Tell me about it." Ben muttered.

"Next." One of the elves working the line called out.

"That's you, Danny."

The boy in question turned to his brother who was pointing to where Santa was now seated. Danny looked back at his new friend before he scurried off. "I gotta go. Good luck, Emily."

"You too, Danny."

/

"Hi, Santa!"

"Hello, Danny. How are you today?"

"I'm good. How are you?"

"I'm doing very well. Thank you for asking." Santa motioned for the boy to join him. "So, have you been good this year?"

" _I_ think so, at least I've really tried. My Moms can tell you for sure." Danny indicated to Bianca and Marissa who were standing close by, each documenting the visit.

"He's been very good, Santa." Bianca said.

Marissa nodded in agreement. "Yes, he has."

Danny smiled back at Santa, happy that his Moms confirmed what he had told the jolly old elf. The last thing you want to do is lie to Santa Claus.

Santa chuckled. "I thought so. You are definitely on the 'nice' list, but it's always good to have parents confirm that for me. So, Danny, what do you want for Christmas?"

"I want a bike."

"Any particular bike?"

Danny nodded and reached into one of his coat pockets. "Uh huh. I have a picture for you. My sister Gabby helped me print it off for you. I know you're talking to a lot of kids, so I thought a picture would help you. Gabby wrote my name on the back so you can read it better. Her writing is better than mine."

Santa took the picture and made note of the model and color. "That was very nice of your sister."

"She's a really good big sister. I have another big sister and a big brother, Miranda and AJ. They're both really good too. Since they're older, they didn't want to sit on your lap, but I wrote down something for them too. Here's want they want." Danny pulled out another piece of paper and handed it to Santa, much to the surprise of his siblings. "My Mama and Mommy helped me with that."

"That was very nice of them."

Danny shrugged. "That's them." He was used to people telling him how nice his Moms were. "They both help a lot of people."

"Is there something I should bring them?" Santa lowered his voice to ask.

"I don't think so. They told us we don't need to get them anything, but G-ma, Nana J, Aunt K, Aunt G, and Aunt Jo are helping us with their present." Danny motioned for Santa to lean in closer and then lowered his voice. "It's really good."

"Well, if you have that many people working on it, then I don't doubt it."

"Oh, I got it! There is something you can get them if you really need an idea."

"What do you think he's telling Santa?" Bianca asked her wife as she watched Danny whispering to Santa.

"I'm not sure. I think we're about to find out though." Marissa said as Danny waved them and his siblings over.

"We better get over there."

/

"What's up, Danny?" Bianca asked as she approached.

"Santa said our whole family can take a picture with him!"

"Oh, that's a great idea! I love it."

"So do I! Thank you, Santa."

"You're welcome, but I can't take the credit for it. Danny was the one who came up with the idea. He told me that your family usually takes a family Christmas picture but that you haven't had a chance to take one yet this year. Danny thought you could take one now since you're all here."

"Danny, that was very thoughtful."

"Our sweet boy. Neither of us are surprised by that. Thank you for thinking of that, Danny." Marissa kissed the top of the boy's head while Bianca wiped away a stray tear that had escaped and kissed him as well. The couple loved their family photos and had been disappointed that they hadn't taken one yet this holiday season. Leave it to Danny to think of it now however when he was seeing Santa. If you asked any member of both their immediate and extended family who had the kindest heart, they would tell you, to a person, that it was Danny.

"AJ, Miranda, Gabby, hurry up please. We're going to have a family picture taken with Santa."

"Oh, okay. Whose idea is it?" AJ asked.

"Your brother's." Bianca answered and winked at her youngest son.

"Awesome idea, Sparky." AJ held out a fist which Danny immediately bumped with one of his own.

"You're making the rest of us look bad when you come up with these brilliant ideas." Miranda winked at her little brother who grinned back proudly.

Gabby gave Danny a high-five as she joined the others. "Way to go, Sparky. Where do you want me?"

Danny looked at the group for a moment. "You stand on the other side of Santa. Mommy and AJ, you stand together on my side. Mama and Miranda, you stand together by Gabby. Please." Danny quickly added.

Everyone nodded and took their places.

The elf manning the camera made sure everyone was lined up. "Okay, everyone smile and say 'Merry Christmas'!"

"Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!"

The photo was snapped and reviewed. "Excellent! I think you're going to like this."

Marissa quickly walked over and looked at the photo. "That is perfect!"

"Thank you. This is the one I took of Danny and Santa."

The photograph was of Danny and Santa talking, and Marissa loved it. "That is amazing."

"I'm glad you like it. I've got your email address, so I will be emailing them to you shortly."

"Thank you so much."

"You're welcome. Have a good day, and Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!"

"Thanks, Santa! Gabby's gonna help me with my letter to you, so you should get it soon." Danny hugged Santa before taking Bianca's hand.

"You're welcome, Danny. I look forward to getting your letter."

/

"Okay, Danny. Let's do this!" Gabby said as she settled down at the kitchen table with one of Marissa's legal pads and a pen. Today, she and her little brother were going to write his letter to Santa Claus.

Danny was already sitting at the table. He had a pretty good idea of how he wanted to start his letter. Miranda had given him a few tips like not starting with what you want right away. Danny thought that was smart and that Santa would appreciate someone asking how he was doing.

"Ready?"

"Yup!"

"Okay. Tell me what you want me to write."

"Gabby?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks for helping me. I really want Santa to be able to read the letter, and my writing isn't good."

Gabby smiled softly at her little brother. "You're welcome. That's what big sisters are for. Don't worry about your writing. It's coming along really well."

"Thanks. Did Miranda help you?"

"She did, and so did AJ. They're both a pretty good big brother and big sister. I'm pretty lucky to have them."

Danny nodded. "Me too. They help me lots. But Gabby?"

"Yep."

"You're a really good big sister too."

Gabby smiled. "Thanks. You're a really good little brother. Okay. Let's write this letter so we can get it mailed."

Bianca and Marissa had been listening to the conversation between their youngest children.

"She's so good with him."

Marissa nodded. "Yes, she is. She had good role models in AJ and Miranda."

Bianca smiled in agreement. "She did. They were really good with her. They still are."

"Hi, Mama. Hi, Mommy."

"Hi you two. I've got an envelope and a stamp for you." Bianca said. "It's one of the Santa stamps."

Danny grinned happily. "Thank you, Mommy!"

"You're welcome, sweetie."

"How would the two of you like some hot chocolate while you work on your letter?" Marissa asked.

"That sounds great! Thanks, Ma."

"What about you, Danny?"

"Uh huh! Thanks!"

"You're welcome."

"While you get started on that, I'll see if AJ and Miranda would like to join us." Bianca offered.

"Good idea." Marissa was taking some extra time off at the end of the year and spending it with her family. The lawsuits against Llanview University and USA Gymnastics had finally wrapped up, and Jerry Landry had exhausted his appeals and was, for all intents and purposes given the sentence he had received, a permanent resident of Statesville Prison. It had taken a few years for the court case against him as well as the other lawsuits to be settled, but they finally were. With those things accomplished, Marissa was taking a much needed and well-deserved break and spending it with her wife and kids. Bianca would be taking some additional time off beginning the following week as well and was looking forward to spending some time with her wife before the kids were on Christmas break. Once they were on break, the entire family would be spending time together. As she passed Gabby, Marissa squeezed her shoulder and mouthed 'thank you'. Gabby smiled in reply.

"How do you want to start, Danny?" Gabby asked, ready to start writing.

"Dear Santa, I really liked meeting you. Thank you for taking a picture with our family. It made my Moms really happy."

Marissa hummed in agreement. Both she and Bianca loved the photo and had plans to get it framed and added to the collection of photographs that graced Minx Manor.

/

Miranda glanced up at her mothers as they joined her, AJ, and Gabby in the family room. It was Christmas Eve, and Bianca and Marissa were returning from having put Danny to bed.

"Is Danny asleep?"

Bianca nodded as she sat down. "Yes, he is. Finally."

"It only took three stories and countless questions. Your brother is very good at stall tactics." Marissa said as she joined her wife on the sofa.

"Guess he comes by it honestly." AJ smirked.

"I don't think I can really argue with you on that. I mean, look at who his brother and sisters are."

AJ rolled his eyes at his Ma's teasing. "Oh, sure. He gets it from us. Couldn't be from the two of you."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Bianca feigned innocence.

"Right."

"Could we have some hot chocolate while we watch the movie?" Gabby asked. They had planned to watch a movie after Danny had gone to bed.

Marissa nodded. "We sure can. Want to help?"

"Yup." Gabby followed Marissa to the kitchen.

/

Bianca stood and motioned to AJ and Miranda. "Come on, my little elves. Santa has a few gifts to wrap for your brother. We can do it while we watch the movie."

The teens nodded and followed their Mom to the garage where they had hidden Danny's presents.

"Is there anything else hidden in here?" AJ glanced around the garage.

Bianca laughed. "Nice try, but no. Do you really think I'm going to lead you to our hiding place for your presents? Have you not learned anything from us?"

Miranda snickered. "Yeah, AJ, the Moms are pretty sneaky."

AJ had to agree with his sister. They had yet to find where their Moms had hidden their presents over the years, and they had tried their best. "True. Where do you want this, Mom?" AJ asked as he picked up Danny's bike.

"Put it behind the Christmas tree please. We want him to open a few other presents before he sees it. Otherwise, he won't want to open anything else up."

"Isn't that the truth. We should probably put our present for him behind the tree too. I'll grab it from my room after we move the rest of these presents." Miranda said.

The bike would be from Santa. The new helmet, pads, and several other presents would be from Bianca and Marissa. AJ, Miranda, and Gabby pooled their money and bought Danny some accessories for his new bike.

"Good idea. Sparky is going to have the coolest bike out there!" AJ made his way back into the house with the bike, careful not to bump into anything.

"I get the rest of Danny's gifts, Mom, if you'll just get the door for me."

"Thank you, Mimo." Bianca held the door open for her daughter and then followed her back inside.

/

"And that is the last one!" Marissa said as she pressed a bow to the freshly wrapped present.

The older members of the Tasker-Montgomery family had settled in the family room to finish wrapping the remaining few gifts that had needed to be wrapped, either for Danny or for their extended family. They had all pitched in and had them wrapped in no time.

"I'll put it under the tree with the rest of the presents." Bianca said as she took the package from her wife. With the exception of the presents for AJ, Miranda, Gabby, and themselves, everything was under the tree. When the older kids went to bed, the rest of the presents, which were all wrapped, would be retrieved from their hiding places and placed under the Christmas tree.

"Now, we can watch 'Christmas Vacation'." AJ took a seat in one of the recliners and cued up the movie. Miranda sat in the other recliner, and Gabby quickly took a seat on one end of the sofa. Bianca took a seat on the other end of the sofa, and Marissa sat next to her wife. After a few minutes, Bianca wrapped an arm around the redhead and pulled her closer.

They all enjoyed the movie and quoted lines from it throughout. When the movie ended and as the credits for it scrolled across the television screen, Bianca glanced at the kids. Gabby had tried to hide a yawn but failed. It was getting late.

"Okay. It's time for the three of you to go to bed. Your brother is going to be up early tomorrow, and we all need to be ready for him."

"What time is everyone coming over tomorrow?" Miranda asked as she stood and stretched.

"They should start coming over around two o'clock." Marissa answered.

"Good night, Mom. Good night, Ma." Gabby decided to head up to bed without putting a fight. She was pretty tired.

"Good night, Gabby."

AJ and Miranda followed their sister's example and told their Moms good night before heading up to bed.

/

Bianca and Marissa took a few minutes to enjoy the quiet once they were alone.

"Okay, we need to start moving before I fall asleep on this sofa. We've got a little more to do tonight, and then, we'll be ready for morning." Marissa said as she stood and held out her hand.

"You're right. Let's get back to work." Bianca agreed took her wife's hand.

Soon, all of the gifts were under the tree, and the stockings that hung by the fireplace were stuffed with fun, little gifts and other various treats. The couple stood back and admired their work.

Marissa was wearing a Santa hat she found when pulling out the items for the family's Christmas stockings. She immediately put it on and winked at her wife. "What do you think?"

Bianca laughed. "I think that Santa has nothing on you."

"I was talking about our handiwork." Marissa motioned around the room. "Personally, I think Santa would be impressed."

"I agree." Bianca nodded before she turned and glanced at her wife. Damn if Marissa didn't look good in that hat. "I think we're done in here. Come on, _Santa_. I've got a present for you to unwrap. Keep the hat on."

Marissa raised an eyebrow and followed Bianca down the hallway to their bedroom, turning lights off along the way. "Have you been naughty or nice this year?"

"Hmmm. I suppose it depends on your definition." Bianca waggled her eyebrows.

"Well, _Mrs. Claus_ , I'd say you were the perfect combination of naughty and nice." Marissa said as Bianca pulled her into their bedroom and closed the door.

/

Gabby groaned as she was woken up by a knock on the door of her bedroom. No sooner had she croaked out 'come in' then she realized what day it was and who was most likely on the other side of the door.

Her little brother rushed in, his excitement evident. "Gabby, it's Christmas! Wake up! We have to see what Santa brought us!"

"You didn't go downstairs yet, did you?"

Danny shook his head. "No, I didn't. You guys said I wasn't supposed to today, not without one of you."

Gabby smiled at her little brother's seriousness. "Good."

"Can we go downstairs now?"

"Let's see what time it is." Gabby groaned when she saw the actual time. "Danny, it's 6:15! The sun isn't even up yet."

"But it's Christmas! Please, Gabby?!"

Gabby sighed. There was no way she could ever refuse the pleading look Danny was giving her so she didn't even try and fight it. A smile slowly formed on her face. "Fine, we can go down, but you have to wake up AJ."

"Okay!" Danny scampered off to wake up his big brother before he could hear his sister laughing. AJ was tough to wake up, but if anyone could do it and not face his wrath, it was Danny.

"I guess I'm getting Miranda up." Gabby shook her head as she got out of bed and headed to Miranda's room.

/

Marissa cracked open an eye and sighed. "Our kids are not remotely quiet."

Bianca chuckled in agreement with her wife. She had heard the kids trying to be quiet and failing miserably as they made their way towards the couple's bedroom. "True. Them telling each other to be quiet has never worked. What time is it?"

"You've got to be kidding me." Marissa groaned and dropped her head back onto her pillow. "It's 6:30."

"Ugh. If I were a betting woman, I would say Danny got them up."

"I'm not going to take that bet because I know you're right. Good thing we've got our pajamas on." Judging from the sound of things, the kids were just outside their door. "You ready?"

Bianca gave her wife a quick kiss and nodded. "I am." When she heard a knock on their door, Bianca answered. "Come in."

The door opened, and Danny rushed in. He immediately scampered onto the bed and in between his Moms. "Merry Christmas, Mommy! Merry Christmas, Mama!"

"Merry Christmas, Danny!" Bianca and Marissa both kissed him and then motioned for their other children to join them.

"Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!"

"Santa Claus came last night!" Danny informed his Moms. He had taken just a quick peek as they made their way past the family room.

"He did, did he?" Marissa smiled at Danny's excitement.

"Uh huh! I only peeked though 'cause I know we have to wait." Danny paused and looked at his Moms. "Can we open presents now? Please?"

Bianca thought for only a moment before she answered. "Can you wait five more minutes while your Mama and I brush our teeth and go to the bathroom?"

"Yup!"

"Then, I suppose we can open presents."

"I started coffee for both of you before we came in. I'll go check on it and bring each of you a cup to the family room."

"Thank you, Mimo!" Marissa said gratefully as she got out of bed.

/

Once everyone was in the family room, the kids quickly found their designated spots which had their gifts. Bianca and Marissa took their seats on the sofa with coffee mugs in hand to watch the chaos that was about to ensue.

"Do you need any help, Danny?" Bianca asked.

"I got it, Mommy." Danny assured her.

"Okay. Get to it then!"

That was all the encouragement the kids needed to begin to open their gifts. Within minutes, everything was unwrapped, well almost everything.

"Did you unwrap everything, Danny?" Marissa asked.

"I think so, Mama." Danny was slightly disappointed that he didn't get the bike he wanted, but he did get a lot of cool stuff, not counting clothes.

"Oh, I don't know about that. I see a couple things behind the tree. AJ, Mimo, would the two of you mind seeing what's behind there?"

"On it, Ma!" AJ grinned.

"You're right, Ma. There are three other presents back here, and they're all for Danny." Miranda said, doing her best to sound surprised.

"There are?"

"There sure are, Sparky. Ooh, I think you might like this big one. It's from Santa." AJ said as he carefully lifted the bike from its hiding spot.

"A bike! It's the one I wanted! Santa didn't forget!" Danny exclaimed as AJ set the bike in front of him. He was almost afraid to touch it, but he finally did.

"You've got two more presents, Danny. Let's see. This one is from the Moms, and this one is from Gabby, AJ, and me."

"Really?!" Danny eyed both packages after he managed to tear his eyes away from his bike. He took the biggest package from Miranda and tore off the wrapping paper. "It's helmet and pads! They're blue and match my bike! Thank you, Mama! Thank you, Mommy!"

"You're welcome, sweetie." Bianca smiled

"You're welcome, Sparky. Bring that over, and Mommy and me will help get it out of the box for you."

While Marissa and Bianca worked on removing the items from their packaging, Danny opened the present from his brother and sisters after giving his Moms a quick hug.

"It's stuff for my bike! I got a horn and a light! What's this?"

AJ took the package and explained what it was. "These are lights that go around the wheels of your bike, and you can change the colors. We can put these things on your bike later."

"Cool! Thank you!" Danny hugged his siblings. "How did you know to get me this stuff?"

The other family members turned to look at Marissa for her to explain.

"He definitely gets that from you." Bianca whispered.

Marissa chuckled and waved Danny over. "Let's see how this helmet fits, and I'll explain."

Danny went back to his Moms and stood as Marissa carefully adjust his helmet.

"Do you remember when we went and saw Santa?"

Danny nodded. "Uh huh."

"Well, he told us that you had been very good, and because of that, he was definitely going to bring you this bike. Since he told us that, we were able to get this other stuff for you. Mommy and I know how important the helmet and pads are because you can't ride without them. AJ, Miranda, and Gabby wanted to get you somethings to make the bike really special." Marissa finished adjusting the strap. "Perfect!"

Danny gave her a toothy grin. "Thanks, Mama!"

"You're welcome."

"Let's try these pads on now." Bianca said.

Danny let Bianca help him put his pads on and smiled when she was done. "Thank, Mommy!"

"You're welcome, sweetie."

"Hey, Danny, turn around so I can take your picture." Miranda said as she held up her cellphone.

Danny turned and faced his sister with the biggest grin on his face. Right before Miranda snapped the picture, Bianca and Marissa leaned in and each kissed a cheek which had Danny giggle. Miranda then snapped another picture of just her little brother standing next to his bike.

"Time for our gift to the Moms!" Gabby said as she waved an envelope. "This is from the four of us. Before you ask, don't worry, we didn't clear out our piggy banks. We did have some help with it."

Bianca opened the envelope and glanced at Marissa as they read the paper inside.

"It's a weekend getaway to Bradford! How …" Bradford was where the couple had spent their honeymoon.

"Like Gabby said, we had help. We got everything covered. Nana J is going to stay here and watch us. So, you know we'll be in good hands." Miranda added.

AJ nodded. "G-ma, Nana J, Aunt Jo, Aunt K, and Aunt G helped us with the planning. They only had one condition. You have to bring them some wine back."

Marissa laughed. "I think we can do that. This is great. Thank you. We have incredible kids, B."

"Yes, we do, Rissa. Yes, we do. Get over here. We need to hug all of you."

/

Later that evening, it was just Bianca and Marissa sitting on the sofa, arms around each other as they sipped some wine and watched the fire. Family and friends had come and gone, and a good time was had by all. AJ, Miranda, and Gabby finally crashed a short time ago. The early wakeup call from their little brother caught up with them. As for Danny, the weather had beenon the mild side fortunately, and he was able to take his bike outside and ride it for a little bit. He did really well with it, and he declared that this was 'the best Christmas ever!'. The excitement of the day had finally caught up with Danny, and he had practically passed out a few hours prior. He fell asleep clutching his bike helmet since his bike was too big to take with him to bed.

Bianca sighed happily. "You know, I think I have to agree with Danny. This was the best Christmas ever."

Marissa chuckled. "I think you're right." She turned and gave Bianca a loving kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too. Merry Christmas, Rissa."

"Merry Christmas, B."

 **/**

 **A/N: So, here's what has been going on in my life.** **My mom fell at her nursing home and broke her ankle in two places along with dislocating it. Surgery was needed and done. Things seemed to be okay until the nursing home said she was not responsive, and she was taken to the hospital. She had a minor infection. The big issues were that she was dehydrated, and her sodium level was high. Both things have occurred with the parents of some of my friends with older parents. These conditions also cause an altered state. Because she was dehydrated, her veins collapsed, and they needed to put in a central line. Due to the combination of her Alzheimer's and her altered state, she fought them which resulted in her lung being nicked. She needed a chest tube put in to help with that. The good news is that she is doing much better but will be in the hospital for a few days.**

 **On the lighter side, here's something that will give you a laugh. I wear contacts, and when I'm not wearing them, I wear glasses. While all of this was going on with my mom, I was at home and had switched to my glasses. I had taken them off while in the bathroom. I flushed the toilet and was reaching for my glasses (can you tell where this is going?) when I dropped them in the toilet, and they went down it. It pretty much happened in slow motion. Anyway, I call my eye doctor's office and found out that I could go in the next day to order a new pair. Throughout the evening, it became harder to flush my toilet. The next morning, it wasn't flushing at all. My guess is that the glasses lodged in the pipe, and toilet paper was catching on them causing it to clog. I called the plumber (who laughed, not that I blame him), and he sent someone over. He wasn't able to retrieve the glasses, not that I would have worn them again knowing where they had been, but he thinks he pushed them through. I ordered new glasses (thankfully, I have an old pair to wear until the replacement pair comes in). I know how much they cost, but I'm still waiting on the bill from the plumber. These glasses will be the most expensive pair I've ever bought! 2019 has gotten off to a heck of a start!**

 **Look for an update to 'Things Change' next. See you soon!**


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